JOPLIN, MO-- Joplin Police say locked doors are an easy way to prevent crime, but add a growing number of theft cases show people don't always use them. When things are stolen out of vehicles, it's roughly 1 out of 3 cases.
It happened 316 times in 2012. That averages out to almost every day last year and it's more than double the number of cases where locks were forced.
Joplin Police Lieutenant Darren Gallup says reminding residents to take preventive steps is a top priority. "We just need to continuously remind people to lock their vehicles. It's obviously much easier to steal something out of a locked vehicle than it is a locked vehicle."
Police also say it's a good idea to make sure that when you leave your car, any valuables are hidden out of sight.
